Tauranga community and leaders share their wishlist for 2021. Photo / George Novak
Tauranga community and leaders share their wishlist for 2021. Photo / George Novak
Te Tuinga Whānau director Tommy Wilson
Te Tuinga Whānau director Tommy Wilson. Photo / File
For our three iwi to come together for the greater good of all Tauranga Moana. We will be so much stronger and successful in every way if we do.
Lifting the problem of P (methamphetamine) out into the open and, just like homelessness, when weface it together we can fix it - one family at a time, via kindness and caring.
Personally, I have a wish to finish and publish book no 32, "Fairway to Heaven" and, to find every excuse to give when I can to those who need it most.
May we continue the lessons learned from Covid about being kind. Awhi Up Aotearoa, let's be the land of the loving right crowd.
Tauranga MP Simon Bridges, National
Tauranga National MP Simon Bridges. Photo / File
I want construction started on the Tauranga Northern Link and preferably we'll also see progress on other game-changing projects like a solution for the Barkes Corner and Tauriko roads plus Hewletts Rd and Totara St. This will allow more housing to be built around Tauranga because the core infrastructure will allow for it.
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We also need more social housing. Labour should grab hold of Accessible Properties' plans to transform old state houses into many more warm dry homes for our needy.
I hope the council will start on its buildings in the CBD to revitalise this area. The Government should chip in for a CBD museum.
Finally, we need leadership by the Police Minister and Police HQ to halt the rise of anti-social and violent behaviour we are seeing locally, from youths through to serious organised crime.
Tourism Bay of Plenty chief executive Kristin Dunne
Tourism Bay of Plenty chief executive Kristin Dunne. Photo / File
As we enter into 2021, concern for the impacts of over-tourism has been replaced with the impacts of under-tourism, and how to sustain the many local businesses that manuhiri and locals alike enjoy, whilst still achieving a well-managed approach to tourism on behalf of our people and place.
My wish for this year is that all regional and national leaders, use the hindsight of 2020 to create greater foresight and that this consciousness leads to a more connected and community-led approach to planning the future of our beautiful home for all those we choose to share it with.
Bay of Plenty MP Todd Muller, National
Bay of Plenty National MP Todd Muller. Photo / File
For our family we look towards 2021 with excitement and hope - "it's gotta be better" is our motto, and if for whatever reason it ain't, at least we know we can get through and come out the other side.
My personal goals are simple, eat less, walk (up the Mount) more, talk less, listen more, grump less, laugh more, less Facebook, more real books, less phone, more family.
Professionally I'll keep striving to be a local MP who is accessible, relatable and genuinely helps.
We live in a remarkable community with people who are willing to make change happen - just look at Arataki in the last few weeks. That passion is everywhere, so I look to find it and quietly, without a fuss, support our tremendous people.
Bay of Plenty District Health Board chief executive Pete Chandler
Bay of Plenty District Health Board chief executive Pete Chandler. Photo / File
I really want to build on the closer working links that have grown during Covid with iwi and other state sector agencies. We have a shared cause in supporting our communities to thrive and I believe we can achieve much better outcomes by working together.
Most of 2020 required our focus to be on Covid. For 2021, I'm hoping we can make great progress towards a more connected health system in the Bay with shared improvement aims in the things that matter most to people.
One thing we can do as the Bay of Plenty community is to make sure every child has a meal every day. I hope we can get closer to achieving this in 2021 by working together as a community.
Tauranga Chamber of Commerce chief executive Matt Cowley
Tauranga Chamber of Commerce chief executive Matt Cowley. Photo / File
My greatest wish for 2021 is that New Zealand avoids going into lockdown. The super infectious strain is worrying, and the New Zealand Government should require negative tests on departure.
Next year will be hard on business cashflow as costs are increasing, minimum wage, sick pay, council rates, rents etc. I hope everyone pays their bills in a timely fashion to help the cash flow of small local businesses.
The business community is looking forward to working with the new commissioners at Tauranga City Council to make progress on transport and housing issues.
Tauranga-based Labour MP Jan Tinetti
Bay of Plenty-based Labour MP Angie Warren-Clarke. Photo / File
For 2021, I'm hoping we can put the trauma that 2020 brought behind us. This last year has certainly been unprecedented in many ways and currently, the world faces a number of challenges that can be overcome by people working together towards a sustainable future.
I hope people continue to show the kindness to others that has been so prevalent in 2020.
I hope that our local economy continues to grow and be vibrant attracting skilled, talented and creative people to the Western Bay of Plenty.
Most of all I'm wishing for an uneventful 2021.
Bay of Plenty-based Labour MP Angie Warren-Clarke
Bay of Plenty-based Labour MP Angie Warren-Clarke. Photo / File
As 2021 dawns on us I would like to, first of all, acknowledge the recent passing of Jack Ingram, who was a former chair of the Bay of Plenty Labour Party branch, a lifetime member of the party and a veteran of World War II.
My hope for this year is that we can all glance back to the lessons from 2020 with open hearts and minds to bring forward all that is positive from our lived experience through lockdown and the global pandemic that is Covid-19.
Remember to stay kind to each other, keep practising good hand hygiene and scanning our Covid tracer apps and make summer unstoppable.
Tauranga acting mayor Tina Salisbury
Acting Tauranga mayor Tina Salisbury. Photo / File
2020 is a year I won't easily forget. Despite the challenges, I have thoroughly enjoyed serving as a city councillor, deputy mayor and acting mayor.
I am so grateful for those who trusted me to represent them, those who have engaged, encouraged, challenged and supported me along the way. It is bittersweet as commissioners come in, but I will continue to serve in other ways.
I wish the very best for our local businesses in 2021. I hope we find solutions to our housing crisis, so all have safe, dry and affordable homes.
Also, that people will be kind, especially to those that are different from ourselves. And that collaborations we have initiated forge strong, focused outcomes, achieving things together we could never accomplish alone.
My final hope is that this year will be filled with the love of family and friends, good health, prosperity and joy in the midst of it all.
Western Bay of Plenty mayor Garry Webber
Western Bay of Plenty mayor Garry Webber. Photo / File
After 2020, I hope that this year will be a lot better for the community and that the economy picks up.
We just don't want another 2020.
From a local government perspective, I am hopeful the commissioners will get in and we can start doing things in the best interest of our wider sub-region.
What are Tauranga City residents' wishes?
Joyce Young, 70, Welcome Bay. Photo / George Novak
"More parking in the CBD and the traffic to be gone." - Joyce Young, 70, Welcome Bay.
Kathy McDonald, 67, Brookfield. Photo / George Novak
"There needs to be free parking all day in the CBD. I stopped coming into the CBD eventually when you had to pay. It's driving people away and we need to revitalise it." - Kathy McDonald, 67, Brookfield.
Graham Crow, 69, Maungatapu. Photo / George Novak
"A Tauranga City Council that functions." - Graham Crow, 69, Maungatapu.
John Mead, 58, Pyes Pa. Photo / George Novak
"Traffic and congestion. Being overseas, I think we would benefit from some of the public transport they have, but I'm not sure if Tauranga has the population to support it." - John Mead, 58, Pyes Pa.
Japie Jordaan, 50, Welcome Bay. Photo / George Novak
"I'd wish for the Bayfair roadworks to be completed." - Japie Jordaan, 50, Welcome Bay.
Charlane Johnson, 26, Tauranga central. Photo / George Novak
"More efficient public transport and accommodation for students. If we could have dorms like they do in Hamilton." - Charlane Johnson, 26, Tauranga.
